A local GP Practice will provide services at St. Martins Surgery, Knowle in Bristol for a twelve month temporary period following the recent resignation of the current partners.

NHS England and Concord Medical Centre are in the final stages of agreeing a temporary contract starting from 15 September 2014. All services currently provided at the surgery continue. Opening hours and surgery hours remain the same. The impact on patients is likely to be small – the main change people will experience is being seen by different doctors. All patients will be written to shortly explaining the new contract.

The next year will be used to consider long-term options for the future of the Practice, engaging with the community as they are developed.

Linda Prosser, Director of Primary Care for the Bristol, North Somerset, Somerset and South Gloucestershire Area Team, said: “NHS England has acted quickly to ensure continuity of GP services for over 5,000 people in the south Bristol area. We welcome the opportunity to work in partnership with Concord Medical Centre to provide high quality healthcare in the current St Martins buildings with minimal impact on patients when the changeover occurs.”

The Practice has reassured NHS England that it has sufficient capacity to provide the temporary contract without any negative impact on its services for current patients.

Dr. Simon Bradley MRCGP, Executive Partner at Concord Medical Centre, said: “We will provide a full range of medical services for St Martins patients at a quality equal to the high standards that our staff have set at our existing surgery. The Practice has a track record of delivering high quality care in different locations across Bristol. Our team is looking forward to meeting St Martins’ patients from mid-September.”